Male protagonists with wit and cunning I fell in love with

If you have read any of these, then think of how much you enjoyed the main character and this should apply to the others. For me, each of these authors have ascended to the next level of writing. They have created worlds so complete that I could well believe that they exist in a parallel universe.

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The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss– Besides fantastical worlds, sharp intellect of the main character is key to my enjoyment of a good book. Those protagonists clever enough to achieve the impossible despite of all those working against them. Kvothe is one of those characters. The story is one of beautiful descriptions and a creative plot in a world I wish existed.

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch– Locke Lamora is a cunning con artist, his story a combination of an incredible fantasy world and a criminal mastermind at work. Be prepared to get wrapped up in the machinations of a group of people who make the wrong side of the law seem like an awful lot of fun!

The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson– Although there are parallels between Kelsier, the protagonist of The Final Empire and Locke Lamora (The Lies of Locke Lamora), to compare these books risks doing a disservice to each. They are both unique in their own ways, entirely capable of tangling you in their fantastic plots. The magic system, Allomancy, was created using Sanderson’s Laws of Magic and you cannot help but feel that you are in the hands of an expert when reading The Final Empire.

Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin– I am not going to bother wasting my time convincing you on this one. If you have not already discovered the incredible world George R. R. Martin has created (either by book or TV show), then I think you should question whether or not you can consider yourself a fan of fantasy.

Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb– Are you looking for an underdog to route for? Here you get a friendless royal bastard trained to become an assassin, his life filled with danger in an old-school traditional fantasy setting.

The Warded Man by Peter V. Brett– Gruesome, gripping and absolutely terrifying. This story is exhilarating, mainly because you know there is something special about Arlen, something that makes him need to act, to do something whilst everyone else is content to be the victim.